Irrigation controller with integrated valve locator

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an irrigation controller, method and software program product for generating valve control signals for energizing a valve. The irrigation controller includes a valve actuation control module selectively coupled each of plurality of control nodes and generating a valve actuation control signal thereon. The valve actuation control signal is a continuous control voltage over a plurality of control signal periods for selectively energizing the selected irrigation valve. Also integrated in the irrigation is a valve chatter module for selectively coupled each of plurality of control nodes and generating a valve chatter control signal thereon. The valve chatter module selectively and, intermittently, energizes the selected irrigation valve. The irrigation controller may further include a remote controller of remotely controlling the irrigation controller.

1. An irrigation controller, comprising:
 at least one control node; 
 valve actuation control circuitry electrically coupled to the at least one control node for generating a valve actuation control signal on the at least one control node over an actuation period, wherein the valve actuation control signal comprises a plurality of control signal periods each having a continuous control voltage, whereby the valve actuation control signal continuously energizes the at least one control node, a control wire, and a valve coupled to the control wire over the actuation period; and 
 valve chatter circuitry electrically coupled to the at least one control node for  generating a valve chatter control signal on the at least one control node, wherein said valve chatter control signal comprising a plurality of duty cycles, each duty cycle comprising one control signal period and at least one naught signal period, said control signal period comprising a first voltage over a first portion of the control signal period and a second voltage over a second portion of the control signal period, and said at least one naught signal period comprising the second voltage, wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage, whereby the valve chatter control signal intermittently energizes the at least one control node, the control wire, and the valve coupled to the control wire over the chatter period. 
 
   
   
     2. The controller recited in  claim 1 , wherein the continuous control voltage is one of a constant voltage and a cyclic voltage. 
   
   
     3. The controller recited in  claim 2 , wherein the valve chatter control signal further comprises one naught signal period for each control signal period. 
   
   
     4. The controller recited in  claim 2 , wherein the valve chatter circuitry for generating a valve chatter control signal further comprises circuitry for defining the duty cycle as having N periods, wherein each duty cycle comprises one control signal period and N−1 naught signal periods. 
   
   
     5. The controller recited in  claim 4 , wherein N is determined by a characteristic of the valve. 
   
   
     6. The controller recited in  claim 4 , wherein the valve chatter circuitry for generating a valve chatter control signal further comprises circuitry for defining N as a first value over a first portion of the chatter period and for redefining N as a second value over a second portion of the chatter period. 
   
   
     7. The controller recited in  claim 4 , wherein the valve chatter circuitry for generating a valve chatter control signal further comprises circuitry for using an algorithmic function for determining a value for defining N. 
   
   
     8. The controller recited in  claim 4  further comprises:
 a second control node; and 
 a control node selector module, wherein the valve actuation control circuitry is electrically coupled to the second node for generating the valve actuation control signal on the second control node over an actuation period, whereby the valve actuation control signal continuously energizes the second control node, a second control wire, and a second valve coupled to the control wire over the actuation period, and the valve chatter circuitry is electrically coupled to the second control node for generating the valve chatter control signal on the second control node, whereby the valve chatter control signal intermittently energizes the second one control node, the second control wire, and the second valve coupled to the second control wire over the chatter period. 
 
   
   
     9. The controller recited in  claim 4  further comprises:
 a valve selector module to select one of a plurality of valves coupled to the control wire, whereby the valve actuation control signal continuously energizes the at least one control node, the control wire, and a second valve of the plurality of valves coupled to the control wire over the actuation period, and whereby the valve chatter control signal intermittently energizes the at least one control node, the control wire, and the second valve coupled to the control wire over the chatter period. 
 
   
   
     10. The controller recited in  claim 9  further comprises:
 a memory for storing a plurality of hardware addresses associated with each of the plurality of valves, wherein the valve selector module accesses a hardware address for one of a plurality of valves from the memory and transmits the hardware address to the at least one control node. 
 
   
   
     11. An irrigation controller, comprising:
 a control node; 
 a memory for storing processor usable program code for generating a valve control signal for energizing the control node; and 
 a processing unit connected to the memory and receptive of the program code, wherein the program code for generating a valve control signal, when executed by said processing unit, causes the irrigation controller to:
 generate a valve actuation control signal on the control node for controlling a continuous control voltage to a valve over an actuation period; and 
 generate a valve chatter control signal on the control node for a controlling an intermittent chatter voltage to the valve over a chatter period, wherein the intermittent chatter voltage comprises a plurality of duty cycles and each duty cycle comprises one signal voltage period and at least one naught voltage period, said signal voltage period comprises a first voltage level over a first portion of the signal voltage period and a second voltage level over a second portion of the signal voltage period, and said at least one naught voltage period comprises a second voltage level, wherein the second voltage level is less than the first voltage level. 
 
 
   
   
     12. The controller recited in  claim 11 , wherein the continuous control voltage is one of a constant voltage level and a cyclic voltage level. 
   
   
     13. The controller recited in  claim 12 , wherein the intermittent chatter voltage comprises one naught voltage period for each control voltage period. 
   
   
     14. The controller recited in  claim 12 , wherein the duty cycle of the intermittent chatter voltage comprises N periods, wherein each duty cycle comprises one control voltage period and N−1 naught voltage periods. 
   
   
     15. The controller recited in  claim 14 , wherein a value for N is based on a characteristic of the valve. 
   
   
     16. The controller recited in  claim 14 , wherein the program code for generating the valve control signal further causes the irrigation controller to select a second valve, whereby the valve actuation control signal on the control node controls a continuous control voltage to the second valve over an actuation period and the valve chatter control signal on the control node controls the intermittent chatter voltage to the second valve over a chatter period. 
   
   
     17. The controller recited in  claim 14 , wherein the program code for generating valve control signal further causes the irrigation controller to define N as a first value for a first portion of the chatter period and as a second value for a second portion of the chatter period. 
   
   
     18. The controller recited in  claim 14 , wherein the program code for generating valve control signal further causes the irrigation controller to determine a value for N with an algorithmic function. 
   
   
     19. The controller recited in  claim 16 , wherein the memory stores a plurality of hardware addresses associated with each of a plurality of valves, wherein the program code for generating valve control signal further causes the irrigation controller to access a hardware address for one of a plurality of valves from the memory and transmits the hardware address to the control node. 
   
   
     20. The controller recited in  claim 19 , wherein the valve control signal comprises hardware address information and valve actuation information. 
   
   
     21. The controller recited in  claim 19  above further comprises:
 an antenna; and 
 a transmitter electrically coupled to the antenna for propagating the valve actuation control signal and the valve chatter control signal as electromagnetic signals. 
 
   
   
     22. The controller recited in  claim 11 , wherein the valve actuation control signal comprises a plurality of control signal periods each having a continuous control voltage, whereby the valve actuation control signal continuously energizes the control node and the valve over the actuation period, and the valve chatter control signal comprises a plurality of duty cycles, wherein each duty cycle comprising one control signal period and at least one naught signal period, said control signal period comprises the first voltage level over a first portion of the control signal period and the second voltage level over a second portion of the control signal period, and said at least one naught signal period comprises the second voltage level, whereby the valve chatter control signal intermittently energizes the control node and the valve over the chatter period. 
   
   
     23. The controller recited in  claim 22 , wherein the program code for generating valve control signal causes the irrigation controller to generate one naught signal period for each control signal period. 
   
   
     24. The controller recited in  claim 22 , wherein the program code for generating valve control signal further causes the irrigation controller to define the duty cycle as having N periods, wherein each duty cycle comprises one control signal period and N−1 naught signal periods. 
   
   
     25. The controller recited in  claim 24 , wherein a value for N is based on a characteristic of the valve. 
   
   
     26. The controller recited in  claim 24  above further comprises:
 a second control node, wherein the program code for generating valve control signal further causes the irrigation controller to:
 generate the valve actuation control signal on the second control node for an actuation period, whereby the valve actuation control signal continuously energizes the second control node, a second control wire, and a second valve coupled to the second control wire for the actuation period; and 
 generate a valve chatter control signal on the control node for a chatter period, whereby the valve chatter control signal intermittently energizes the second control node, second control wire and the second a valve coupled to the second control wire for the chatter period. 
 
 
   
   
     27. The controller recited in  claim 26  wherein the program code for generating valve control signal further causes the irrigation controller above to select one of a plurality of valves coupled to the control wire, whereby the valve actuation control signal continuously energizes the control node, the control wire, and a second valve of the plurality of valves coupled to the control wire for the actuation period, and wherein the valve chatter circuitry is electrically coupled to the at least one control node for generating the valve chatter control signal on the at least one control node, whereby the valve chatter control signal intermittently energizes the at least one control node, the control wire, and the second valve coupled to the control wire for the chatter period. 
   
   
     28. The controller recited in  claim 24 , wherein the program code for generating valve control signal further causes the irrigation controller to define N as a first value for a first portion of the chatter period and as a second value for a second portion of the chatter period. 
   
   
     29. The controller recited in  claim 24 , wherein the program code for generating valve control signal further causes the irrigation controller to determine a value for N with an algorithmic function. 
   
   
     30. A method for generating valve control signal for energizing a valve, comprising:
 generating a valve actuation control signal on a control node for an actuation period, said valve actuation control signal comprising a plurality of control signal periods each having a continuous control voltage, whereby the valve actuation control signal continuously energizes the control node and a valve coupled to the control node for the actuation period; 
 discontinuing the valve actuation control signal; and 
 generating a valve chatter control signal on the control node for a chatter period, said valve chatter control signal comprising a plurality of duty cycles, wherein each duty cycle comprising one control signal period and at least one naught signal period, said control signal period including a first voltage over a first portion of the control signal period and a second voltage over a second portion of the control signal period, and said at least one naught signal period including a second voltage over the at least one naught signal period, wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage, whereby the valve chatter control signal intermittently energizes the second control node and a valve coupled to the second control node for the chatter period. 
 
   
   
     31. A method for generating control signal recited in  claim 30  above, wherein generating a valve chatter control signal on the second control node for a chatter period further comprises generating one naught signal period for each control signal period. 
   
   
     32. A method for generating control signal recited in  claim 30  above, wherein generating a valve chatter control signal on the second control node for a chatter period further comprises defining the duty cycle as having N periods, wherein each duty cycle comprises one control signal period and N−1 naught signal periods. 
   
   
     33. A method for generating control signal recited in  claim 32  above, wherein N is determined by a characteristic of the valve. 
   
   
     34. A method for generating control signal recited in  claim 32  above, wherein N has a first value for a first portion of the chatter period and a second value for a second portion of the chatter period. 
   
   
     35. A method for generating control signal recited in  claim 32  above, wherein a value for N is determined by an algorithmic function.